North and Prejudice
by Golden Sunflower
Summary: Fitzwilliam Thornton and Elizabeth Hale take a walk in smoky Longbourne.


**This is my first Fanfic. Please tell me how I'm doing.**

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**North and Prejudice**

Aunt Shaw settled herself comfortably against the thick cushions of the carriage.

'What a business these goodbyes are Margaret,'

Margaret smiled weakly. Her recent losses and her overwhelming pain at one still more recent, had made her less communicative than usual. She tried to sit still but the swirling flakes outside and the beating of her heart made her writhe.

The horses began to trot out of the mill yard. Margaret's heart slowed. It seemed to pulse in space. The horses were gathering speed. Margaret's mind was tumbling with images. Him him him.

Aunt Shaw's voice cut into her frenzied mind.

'We are leaving directly. I can hardly wait to see the Pipers to tell them all about Milton'

'But I don't like the Pipers. I can't stand them! Wait, stop the coach. Please, there is something I have to attend to. Please.' The coach slowed and Margaret threw herself out of the door. Standing in the snow, she saw a figure on the porch. Staring steadily at her, intensely.

Margaret's voice rang out. She was herself again, decisive and short.

'Aunt Shaw, I will meet you back at the house. I will be some time'.

Margaret picked her way through the snow covered courtyard. Mr Thornton stood like a stone. Margaret looked up. 'Mr Thornton, she said. I can no longer be silent. Let me thank you on behalf of my parents as well, even though they know not they owe you anything. I lied that day because I believed my brother's life to be in danger'.

'If you believe thanks necessary, let them be for yourself alone. Your family owes me nothing. Much as I esteem them, I believe I thought only of you'.

Margaret battled on, determined now, at the end of everything, to say all. 'My brother came from Spain where he lives as an escapee from a court martial. There is a price on his head for his actions during a mutiny. He came when my mother was dying, and he left the night you observed us, before even the funeral'.

Mr Thornton opened his lips. And closed them. There was too much to take in. Too much to believe? At last he spoke. Margaret's eyes fixed on his face.

'He was your broother' and a smile threatened his mouth.

'Yes' said Margaret simply. Her spirits rising slightly. 'But that is not the only charge you have against me, you have other provocations, I know you have. Two things I once laid at your charge. One was that you had not acted in a way befitting a gentleman. The second that my friend Bessie Higgins was dying because of you'.

John Thornton looked steadily at Margaret. 'Are your feelings still what they were last April? If so tell me so at once.' Margaret stuttered a little. 'My feelings, oh my feelings are so different, so as to be quite the opposite.'

'You believe me now to be a gentleman?'

'Utterly and completely'

'Margaret, you are shivering, and your gown, 6 inches deep in snow. Please accompany me into the mill'.

Margaret approached the mill door looking at it with new eyes. She thought 'of all this I might have been mistress.' But she quashed the thought resolutely. He was offering her a place to get warm, nothing more.

'Miss Hale, come into the drawing room'.

'Oh Mr Thornton, 'it is full west'.

'I assure you ma' am we never sit here after dinner'.

'What did I just say?' She asked herself. 'Enough meaningless pleasantries. If I have nothing to say, I will be silent'

Margaret drew closer to the fire flexing her icy fingers. 'Now what?' The new sense of friendship that had sprung up between her and Mr. Thornton was as strained as it was welcome. She was due to leave for London immediately. She wished to make her feelings known but knew not how to formulate them. Mr Thornton got down on one knee, and took Miss Hales hand in his warm grasp.

Fanny entered in a cloud of starched petticoats. 'Ooooh Miss Hale have compassion on my poor nerves, what a fright you gave me, I thought you would have been halfway to Loondon. Have you not left yet?' Margaret looked at her. Mr Thornton looked at her and rose, brushing off his knees. 'There' he said, that's all the snow I can remove just now, 'Let me see you home'.

Mrs Thornton came in the room, 'Miss Hale, did you come alone?'

'From the mill yard.'

'On foot?'

'As you see'

'Well, we will need to send you home directly'. Mr. Thornton broke in 'May she have the carriage moother?'

'No, in view of the present weather conditions I think she better go on horseback'.

Mr Thorntons hackles rose. He desperately needed to speak to Miss Hale alone. But how to arrange it?

His nerve and verve returned. He could conquer this. He looked out at a deep puddle which the snow had not yet covered and imagined plunging in and clearing his mind. He turned to the woman by his side.

'Miss Hale. There is a prettyish sort of a wilderness that is separated from my mill only by a lane. As you are so close to leaving us, I would be honored if you would accompany me'. Margaret took his arm wordlessly. Mrs Thornton and Fanny were also struck dumb. Fanny only momentarily. As the young couple exited into the frigid air, she turned to her mother.

'I always said she was holding out for John. This proves it'.

Mrs Thornton turned irritably. 'Be silent gel'

John Thornton was walking with the love of his life but things were not going quite as he planned.

The problem was the inclement weather. A fine dusting of snow had suddenly turned into a small snowstorm. Strong as his passion and warm were his feelings, they failed to melt the snow that was piling up on all sides. His limbs shaking with cold he surveyed his love through squinted eyelids. Strange. She didn't seem to mind at all.

Margaret was walking with Mr Thornton. She had apologized and had been accepted. She felt at peace with all the world. Surveying the town of Milton, she thought 'I have never seen a place for which nature has done more'

Her thoughts turned to the one besides her. Strange. He didn't seem to notice the beauty of it all. Men never really seemed to notice nature. For instance Margaret had never found a man who looked at rocks and mountains and saw anything but exactly that.

Mr. Thornton's breath came in short cloudy gasps. His head was surrounded by vapor. 'Margaret' he said breathlessly. Beside him, Margaret nodded. 'I know. It really does take your breath away'

'No its not that'

'Its not?'

'Margaret?'

'Yes, what would you like to tell me?'

'I'm so cold'

Margaret was at once all politeness.

'Oh that won't do Mr. Thornton. Now let me see, where can we take shelter? Haye park? Or Purvis Lodge would do if it were closer. Never mind, we will be at my home very shortly'.

They walked and reached the home formerly rented by the Hales. The door was flung open and Aunt Shaw stood framed in the doorway.

'Margaret, oh Margaret, where have you been?'

'I've been pondering on the pleasure a fine snowstorm in the heart of a big city can bestow'.

'Well that's all very well, but the carriage is coming in a very few minutes. Make haste my love.'

Margaret walked inside. Mr. Thornton close behind her. Immediately he peered around them. Whether looking for a fire, or a quiet spot, Margaret couldn't tell.

The last few boxes were being carried out yet Margaret felt strangely apathetic. Thornton, alone at last with Margaret took possession of her hand once more.

'Margaret?' And there was something in his tone that made her look up. 'Oh dearest loveliest Margaret' I have struggled in vain but it will not do, before you go, I must tell you how ardently I admire and love you'.

'Margaret?' She had hidden her face in her palms. Pressing tight against her bright eyes, her heart was thrilling every second he spoke. 'Margaret? Look at me. Almost at once when I had met you, I had singled you out as the companion of my future life, but you seemed to regard me as the last man in the world, you could ever be prevailed upon to marry'.

'Oh Mr. Thornton, don't remind me. I am heartily ashamed of it. Think only of the past as it gives you joy'.

'Will you marry me Margaret?'

'With all my heart I will'.

'Will you stay here in Milton? I don't have much to offer you, and the Mill is going bankrupt but I loove you'.

'And I love you – John'.

The name sounded strange. It was the first time, she had called him so.

He was just expressing himself, as warmly as any man could under the circumstances, when the door opened.

Dixon stood there and Aunt Shaw was beside her. Margaret looked up

'Oh Aunt. I have such news. Would you object to me staying here in Milton after all? I'm sorry you came all this way, but you see, we have just decided to get married'.

'Oh Margaret' said Dixon. 'Oh Margaret. Are you sure? Are you sure you really love him well enough?'

'Oh yes. It is settled between us that we are to be the happiest couple in the world. Although we hope never to exceed our income'.

Aunt Shaw had drawn herself up to her full height.

'Has my niece accepted your offer of marriage? I hardly think this is proper. Margaret, I believe this man is in trade'.

'Don't you dare judge me Aunt. Prepare yourself for something very dreadful, but the society of this gentleman means more to me than those of the pipers and Edith's and all the world. I only want my Thornton'.

'Well if that what you feel dear, then you deserve to have him'.

_Thank you Mispsuedonumous, for the encouragement and my sanity_


End file.
